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A Case for the Nuclear Membrane as a Mechanotransducer

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Abstract

The cell nucleus is becoming increasingly recognized as a mechanosensitive organelle. Most research on nuclear mechanosignaling focuses on the nuclear lamina and coupled actin structures. In this commentary, we discuss the possibility that the nuclear membrane senses and transduces mechanical signals similar to the plasma membrane. We briefly summarize possible (i) pathophysiological sources of nuclear membrane tension, (ii) features that render nuclear membranes particularly suited for mechanotransduction, and (iii) molecular sensing mechanisms.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Kris Noel Dahl for helpful discussions. The authors are supported by the National Institutes of Health Grant GM099970 to P.N.

Conflict of interest

Balázs Enyedi and Philipp Niethammer declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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No human studies were carried out by the authors for this article. No animal studies were carried out by the authors for this article.

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  1. Cell Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA

    Balázs Enyedi & Philipp Niethammer

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  1. Balázs Enyedi
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Correspondence to Philipp Niethammer.

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Associate Editor G.W. Gant Luxton oversaw the review of this article.

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Enyedi, B., Niethammer, P. A Case for the Nuclear Membrane as a Mechanotransducer. Cel. Mol. Bioeng. 9, 247–251 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12195-016-0430-2

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